Question

Please I need help with these problems. Thank you so much for your time!

The microbiome plays a key role in the first and second lines of defense (innate and adaptive immunity).

a). What are the emerging roles of the microbiome in immunity? How does the microbiome contribute to the development and maintenance of your immune system?

b). What would be the consequences for a patient who lacked a microbiome in their gut?

Answer 1

The microbiota plays an important role in the functioning of the host immune system. Our immune system has evolved in the process of maintaining a healthy symbiotic relationship between the host and microbes which consist of bacteria, fungi, yeast, protozoa, arches and virus.

Emerging roles of microbiome in immunity:

The microbiota has been able to synthesize a wide variety of metabolites like essential vitamins, harmones which cannot be synthesized by the host alone. The microbiota is present in plenty which is even more than the human genes and has been used in treatment of cancer particularly chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Contribution of microbiota in development and maintenance of immune system:

The immune system is first line of defense in our body which protects us from invading foreign particles which is perceived as threat . There are about nearly 38 trillion microbiota in our body which has developed mutuliastic relationship and our immune system has evolved in a way to create defense against foreign invasions and at the same time not harming the commensal microbiota.

The intestinal wall is interface between gut microbiota and the our body. This acts as a barrier and seperates the gut microbes. There are two barriers- physical barrier created from the epithelial cells and chemical barrier created from cytokines, antibodies and antimicrobial substances.

The barrier function is also explained by the immune cells. T and B cells which are located in the intestinal wall participate in adaptive immune responses which contributes to maintenance of the epithelial cells in the intestinal wall and also suppresses the response to harmless microbes which helps in immune homeostasis.

This is how the microbiota helps in developing and maintaining the immunity.

b) If a person lacks the normal microbiota in the gut , the person is prone to certain conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel disease like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis..

It may also lead to depression, anxiety as there are nerve endings in the commensal which communicate with brain.

Therefore, the person should eat rich in probiotics, exercise regularly and follow healthy lifestyle.

Thank you..